Investing in employee development should be a perennial priority. Conversely, foregoing training programs can lower staff morale, impede departmental efficiency and undermine retention efforts. Here are some effective ways you can support and promote employee development:

Reimburse employees for training. You may consider providing each employee with a yearly allowance or simply reimbursing staff for outside courses or programs they enroll in.

Provide flexible scheduling. Allow employees to reschedule activities or work nontraditional hours to make room for seminars and courses.

Publicize opportunities. You should not expect staff members to just stumble upon training options. Continually alert them to the opportunities available, both internally and externally.

Celebrate learning. As a manager, you set can an example by seeking training options for yourself. You also encourage learning when you announce in a meeting a staff member who has enrolled in a training course or distribute a department-wide email congratulating an associate on earning a certification.